No. 20 Utah vs. No. 7 USC: Live Updates, Analysis And More From Rice-Eccles

SALT LAKE CITY – It’s the biggest Pac-12 game of the season as No. 20 Utah hosts the seventh-ranked USC Trojans at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday.

Utah will be in the spotlight on national television while sporting hand-painted helmets with pictures of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe. The Utes will be in their “Dark Mode” attire. USC is entering the game with an undefeated record of 6-0 overall and 4-0 in Pac-12 play. They have wins over Rice, Stanford, Fresno State, Oregon State, Arizona State, and Washington State.

The Utes are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Pac-12 play. They have wins over Southern Utah, San Diego State, Arizona State, and Oregon State. Their losses came against Florida and last week to UCLA on the road.

KSL Sports is live at Rice-Eccles Stadium to cover Utah/USC. Check back here throughout the game for live updates, analysis, and more.

Pregame

Make sure you swing by the Heisman House Tour to checkout the Heisman Trophy AND #UteLegend @SteveSmithSr89 👀#GoUtes #UteProud pic.twitter.com/238xExTNkg

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 15, 2022

Also come checkout a tutorial on Utah’s hand painted helmets. Lots going on today!#GoUtes #UteProud pic.twitter.com/C4KppNy7zq

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 15, 2022

Views on 1,000,000 😍 pic.twitter.com/Dyn4ZBNSYo

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 15, 2022

First Quarter

USC got on the board first with a touchdown run by Travis Dye. The Trojans took a 7-0 lead with 13:16 remaining in the first quarter. That TD was set up by quarterback Caleb Williams, who ran for 55 yards.

The first points of the day from @Babydye23 !!! pic.twitter.com/bPzEtEZKEb

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) October 16, 2022

Utah looked like they were going to respond with a touchdown but as they approached the red zone, they were forced to attempt a field goal. Jordan Noyes missed the 34-yard attempt.

USC was inside the five-yard line and faced a third and goal when Clark Phillips was called for holding. On the first and goal play, Williams connected with Jordan Addison for a two-yard touchdown to give USC a 14-0 lead with 4:53 remaining in the first quarter.

How bout it @Espn_Jordan ?? 🤷 pic.twitter.com/fikkzeMaw7

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) October 16, 2022

After trailing by two touchdowns early in the game, Utah scored their first touchdown of the game against USC on the legs of Micah Bernard.

It was a crazy sequence of events for Utah that led to the 12-yard touchdown run by Micah Bernard. Cam Rising threw an interception on a flea flicker but it was called back on a roughing the passer call on USC. Bernard scored the touchdown on the following play to trim USC’s lead to 14-7 with 56 seconds left in the first quarter.

.@ctb_mb 😤💪#GoUtes https://t.co/bLOX7qFs3v

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 16, 2022

Second Quarter

It didn’t take USC long to respond as they only needed four plays to go 69 yards. Williams threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Kyron Hudson to give the Trojans a 21-7 lead with 14:20 remaining in the first half.

And that's how its done!

📺 FOX
📱 https://t.co/Zini9V6y6V pic.twitter.com/VALzRAiEIA

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) October 16, 2022

The Utah football team needed a stop and a score in the worst way and they got just that which ended in a two-yard TD by Cam Rising.

That play was set up by Rising who threw a 45-yard pass to Money Parks that put Utah at the two-yard line. Rising ran in the touchdown on the next play. USC’s lead was cut to 21-14 with 4:01 remaining in the first half.

.@crising7 ➡️ @MonterrenParks to set up QB1's rushing TD.#GoUtes https://t.co/9rw3512ekx

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 16, 2022

After turning the ball over on downs and punting on their next two possessions, USC’s offense was back to firing on all cylinders. Williams found Josh Falo for a three-yard touchdown to extend the Trojans’ lead to 28-14 with 1:15 left until halftime.

They're on a ROLL! 🔱 @Josh_falo from @CALEBcsw for @uscfb pic.twitter.com/98nPLiLeTJ

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 16, 2022

As time was ticking off the clock in the final minute of the first half, Utah got a much-needed touchdown catch by Devaughn Vele.

With less than one minute until halftime, Cam Rising connected with Dalton Kincaid for a 30-yard gain before the signal caller found Devaughn Vele for a 16-yard touchdown.

Utah cut USC’s lead to 28-21 with 30 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

.@devaughn_vele with TD catch #⃣4⃣ this season.#GoUtes https://t.co/wHoFPGf76v

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 16, 2022

Third Quarter

Dalton Kincaid made two big plays to start the third quarter to tie the game up against USC at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Cam Rising threw a nice ball to Dalton Kincaid, who was able to get one foot inbounds with a defender draped over him. The play was ruled an incomplete pass before the officials reviewed the play and overturned the call to a complete pass. Then Utah ran the “Philly Special” as Devaughn Vele threw a nine-yard pass to Rising. The drive ended with a four-yard touchdown connection between Rising and Kincaid. The game was tied at 28 with 12:02 remaining in the third quarter.

.@_DaltonKincaid was CLUTCH for @Utah_Football to start the third quarter.#GoUtes https://t.co/APouLrlJxK

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 16, 2022

Another short drive resulted in another touchdown for USC as Josh Falo caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Caleb Williams. USC took the lead back, 35-28 with 11:02 left in the third quarter.

Falo and the endzone meet again!

📺 FOX
📱 https://t.co/Zini9V6y6V pic.twitter.com/FhvRlOYgXn

— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) October 16, 2022

Utah was on its way to scoring another touchdown and leveling the game. Micah Bernard was at the three-yard line when a helmet hit the ball out of his hands. USC recovered the fumble. The Trojans couldn’t get any points out of that drive after Clark Phillips III made a key sack that set USC back.

Fourth Quarter

It was a drive filled with penalties on both sides but Utah was still able to get a touchdown by Cam Rising to tie the game. Utah had to grind out that drive with 10 plays but Rising had a QB sneak touchdown on the one-yard line to tie the game at 35 with 10:55 remaining in the game.

QB1 💪😤#GoUtes https://t.co/gBBiKK6rlW

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 16, 2022

Utah’s defense had the Trojans against the ropes with a third and eight in the red zone. Rather than forcing a field goal, Caleb Williams threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jackson III. USC took the lead back, 42-35 with 6:15 remaining in the game.

The Trojans are back on top!@uscfb takes the 7-point lead with just over 6 minutes left in the game pic.twitter.com/YxZMZvZ3Gn

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 16, 2022

Utah ran down the clock trailing by seven points when Cam Rising ran in a one-yard touchdown with 48 seconds left in the game. Rather than going for the tie, Kyle Whittingham elected to go for two and the win. Rising ran in the two-point conversion to put the Utes up 43-42. That left the Trojans with 48 seconds to try and get in field goal range.

They were unable to get down the field and the Utes pulled off the upset and handed USC their first loss of the season.

Utah improved its record to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in Pac-12 play. They will have a bye next week before heading to Pullman to face the Washington State Cougars on Thursday, October 27 at 8:00 p.m. MT on FS1.